Official: Firefighters to protect Yosemite 'no matter what it takes'

From Nick Valencia. Catherine E. Shoichet and Phil Gast, CNN

Updated 6:34 PM ET, Sun August 25, 2013

Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park45 photos

Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – A Hotshot crew member rests near a controlled burn at Horseshoe Meadows as crews continue to fight the Rim Fire near Yosemite National Park in California on Wednesday, September 4. The massive wildfire has burned over 280,000 acres and is now 80% contained, according to a state fire spokesman.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – California Highway 120 is cleared of debris as crews continue to fight the Rim Fire near Yosemite on September 4.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – A member of the Bureau of Land Management's Silver State Hotshot crew walks through a burn operation on the southern flank of the Rim Fire on Friday, August 30.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – BLM Silver State Hotshot crew members perform burn operations on the southern flank of the fire on August 30.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – A firefighter takes a break from battling the Rim Fire near Groveland, California, on August 28.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – Firefighters from Sacramento Metro burn around an old cabin in Ackerson Meadow near Yosemite National Park on August 28.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – Smoke from the Rim Fire drifts past cattle in a field near Yosemite National Park on August 28.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – Firefighter Russell Mitchell monitors the situation during the Rim Fire near Yosemite National Park on Tuesday, August 27.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – A videographer records the flames burning through trees as the Rim Fire menaces Yosemite National Park on August 27.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – Firetrucks drive through heavy smoke generated by the Rim Fire near Yosemite on August 27.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – Sacramento Metropolitan firefighter John Graf monitors the Rim Fire line near Camp Mather, California, on Monday, August 26.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – A firefighter stands on top of a fire truck at a campground destroyed by the Rim Fire near Yosemite National Park on August 26. The massive wildfire grew during the week and became the 5th largest in state history, state fire authorities said.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – Flames from the Rim Fire destroy trees on Sunday, August 25, near Groveland, California. The fire had consumed nearly 219,000 acres as of Saturday, August 31.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service firefighter Corey Adams sits on a tree stump as he monitors the Rim Fire near Groveland on August 25.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – Fierce flames from the Rim Fire burn near Groveland, not far from Yosemite National Park.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – U.S. Forest Service firefighters take a break from battling the Rim Fire at Camp Mather on August 25.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – Trees burned by the Rim Fire stand charred on August 25 in Yosemite National Park.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – A burned car sits on the side of the road near Groveland on August 25.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – A Cal Fire firefighter monitors the Rim Fire as it burns through a stand of trees near Groveland on August 25.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – A firefighter douses flames of the Rim Fire in Groveland, near Yosemite National Park, on Saturday, August 24.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – The Rim Fire burns just outside Yosemite on August 24. A top priority is stopping the fire from spreading further into the national park.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – Smoke and flames move along a ridge just outside Yosemite National Park on August 24.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – El Dorado Hills firefighters work to douse a hotspot in Yosemite National Park on August 24. Nearly 5,000 firefighters are attempting to bring the fast-moving fire under control.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – A firefighter douses a spot fire, as he battles the Rim Fire near Yosemite National Park in California.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – Firefighters move in to douse a spot fire on August 24.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – A cow walks through a section of forest that was scorched by the Rim Fire outside of Camp Mather on August 24, near Groveland, California.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – A truck sits scorched outside of Yosemite National Park on August 24.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – Some 2,600 of firefighters were battling the out-of-control Rim Fire on August 24.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – Smoke and flame blot out the horizon as the Rim Fire approaches Yosemite Lake near Groveland, California on Friday, August 23.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – Charred siding is all that remains of a building consumed by the fire.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – Flames eat up trees as the fire continues to burn out of control on August 23.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – A coyote walks across U.S. Highway 120, shut down due to the fire, near Groveland, California, on August 23.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – Smoke from the Rim Fire is seen near Hardin Flat outside Yosemite National Park on August 23.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – A firefighting crew puts out a spot fire that jumped a fire line in Yosemite National Park on August 23.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – Giant plumes of smoke rise up from the Rim Fire near the border of Yosemite National Park on August 23.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – A firefighter from Cosumnes Fire Department monitors a back fire while battling the Rim Fire on August 22, in Groveland, California.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – The Rim Fire has burned 105,620 acres, spreading from Stanislaus National Forest to part of Yosemite, Forest Service on Friday, August 23, spokesman Bjorn Fredrickson said.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – An air tanker drops fire retardant on a ridge ahead of the advancing Rim Fire on August 22, in Groveland, California. The Rim Fire continues to burn out of control and has entered Yosemite National Park.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – A firefighter from the Colorado-based South Arkansas Fire District carries a hose as he monitors the Rim Fire on August 22, in Groveland, California.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – Los Angeles County firefighters hike in on a fire line on the Rim Fire near Groveland, California, on August 22.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – A Tuolumne County sheriff's deputy looks at an incident map of the Rim Fire on August 22, in Groveland, California.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – The Rim Fire burns close to Groveland Ranger Station near Yosemite National Park, California, on August 22.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – A Marin County firefighter works to put out a spot fire that jumped a fire line on the Rim Fire near Groveland, California, August 22.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – Sunlight filters through smoke in a grove of trees burned by the Rim Fire on August 22, in Groveland, California.

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Rim Fire in Yosemite National Park – Smoke from the Rim Fire is visible near the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir on August 22, in Yosemite National Park, California. The Rim Fire continues to burn out of control and entered Yosemite National Park on Friday.

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Story highlights

Evacuating residents say they're worried about their homes

Official: "We're going to do everything in our power to protect" Yosemite

Susan Loesch and Curtis Evans just started settling into their second home in California's Sierra foothills a few months ago. Now, they're worried it could go up in smoke as a massive wildfire spreads.

"This is kind of a little paradise up here for us. ... To think this would all be gone would be devastating," Evans told CNN Sunday.

Cradling their chihuahua, Cuervo, they prepared to leave the area on Sunday as more than 2,800 crew members struggled to corral the sprawling Rim Fire, which had devoured nearly 134,000 acres.

"It's scary," Loesch said. "You worry about the firefighters being on the line. ... It's overwhelming."

The wildfire, which remained 7% contained, was spreading primarily to the northeast and east and threatened to grow amid extremely dry conditions and hot weather.

After days of battling the blaze, things were looking up on Sunday, said Vickie Wright, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Forest Service.

"We're a long way from complete," she said, "but at least our boots on the ground are getting a better handle on it."

"The park is a national treasure," she said, "so no matter what it takes, we're going to do everything in our power to protect that park."

While the Rim Fire had consumed 12,000 acres in the northwest section of the park by Saturday, so far it has had little or no direct impact on Yosemite Valley, a popular spot for tourists and home to many of the famous cliffs and waterfalls in the park.

About 4,500 structures, many of them vacation homes, were under threat, according to InciWeb, a federal website that collects information from agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.

Several helicopters and air tankers were aiding firefighting efforts.

The inferno threatened the Yosemite gateway communities of Groveland and Pine Mountain Lake just outside the Stanislaus National Forest.

The Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office, meanwhile, issued evacuation advisories for the town of Tuolumne and nearby Ponderosa Hill, according to InciWeb. It was not clear how many residents were covered by the evacuation advisory.

Authorities say the Rim Fire started on August 17. The cause is under investigation.

Yosemite spokesman Scott Gediman told CNN on Saturday that the Rim Fire's impact was restricted to a park entrance closure at Highway 120 West and a backcountry section used by hikers.

The park typically has 15,000 visitors on a busy summer weekend. August sees an influx of visitors from other countries, a few of whom have called to check on conditions.